Hello Kitty is the new whiskered face of United Nations tourism (VIDEO)

Published: December 5, 2017 10:12 AM GMT+8

Share this article

Hello Kitty is the new travel ambassador for the United Nations. — AFP picTOKYO, Dec 5 — The United Nations has tapped an ambassador with universal appeal to spread its message of sustainable and responsible tourism: Hello Kitty.

As one of the most recognisable, lovable and least offensive characters in the world, Hello Kitty is a safe choice for the part.

As “Special Ambassador,” the feline character will become the whiskered, bow-tied face of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation’s “International Year of Sustainable Tourism Development 2017.” Part of her role is to educate travellers on how to be a responsible tourist.

The campaign was developed amid a tourism crisis in Europe, where disgruntled locals in Spain and Italy took to the streets in anti-tourism marches to protest overcrowding and disrespectful tourist behaviour.